Automobile electrical system

ABSTRACT

An electric fuel line lock for automobiles is opened by a solenoid, the ground line from which is connected to a normally open contact on the automobile ignition switch lock which is closed only when the ignition switch lock is in the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position, so that when the ignition switch lock is in the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;off&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position the fuel line is locked and the automobile cannot be operated. To prevent unauthorized operation of the ignition switch, the ignition switch includes an extra tumbler engageable with a notch or groove in a surface of the key other than the normal tumbler engaging edge of the key.

1S4] AUTOMOBILE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM [76] Inventors: Ivan G. Minks, 5'617Welmering Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63123; Melvin P. Minks, l950'CherokeeStreet, St. Louis, Mo. 63118 [22] Filed: March 12, 1971 [21] Appl.No.:123,606

[52] US. Cl. ..137./35l,- 137/383, 200/44, 200/155 R, 200/166 BE,251/129 [51] Int. Cl. ,.....B60r 25/04, Fl6k 35/06 HOlh 9/28 [58] Fieldof Search ..70/243, 421; 137/351, 3831 200/44, 155 R, 166 BE; 251/129,141

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,550,717 12/1970 Doty..137/383 X 758,025 4/1904 Taylor "70/421 X 2,022,070 11/1935 Williamset al..... .....70/421 1,630,077 5/1927 Schwinn ...251/129 UX 3,168,2422/1965 Diener ..251/129 X 51 March 6, 1973 Primary Examiner-Albert G.Craig, Jr. Attorney-Bedell & Burgess [5 7] ABSTRACT An electric fuelline lock for automobiles is opened by a solenoid, the ground line fromwhich is connected to a normally open contact on the automobile ignitionswitch lock which is closed only when the ignition switch lock is in theon position, so that when the ignition switch lock is in the offposition the fuel line is locked and the automobile cannot be operated.To prevent unauthorized operation of the ignition switch, the ignitionswitch includes an extra tumbler engageable with a notch or groove in asurface of the key other than the normal tumbler engaging edge of thekey.

3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDH elm 3719;201-

' SHEET 1 UF 2 AUTOMOBILE'ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONl. Field of the Invention The invention relates to automobile ignitionsystems and consists particularly in a fuel line lock controlled by theignition switch.

2. The Prior Art The prior art discloses automobile fuelv line lockscontrolled by the ignition switch in which the supply conductor or hotline to the fuel line valve solenoid passes through the ignition switch.In such arrangements, the valve can be energized by simply by-passingthe ignition switch with an external jumper from the supply conductorinto the switch to the supply conductor leading from the switch to thesolenoid.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention makes the use of the commonsupply conductor jumper useless by connecting the ground returnconductor from the locking valve solenoid to a normally open contact onthe ignition switch, so that even if the conventional supply conductorjumper is placed across the ignition switch, the solenoid circuit willnot be energized and the fuel line valve will remain closed. Theinvention also makes operation of the ignition switch impossible with aconventional master key by providing an additional tumbler engageablewith a different surface of the key than the conventional tum- ,blers,necessitating an additional groove or notch in the other surface of the.key to actuate the switch.

Other objects and advantages include the provision of a simple device,with few moving parts, readily adaptable to existing ignition systems.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view,partially sectionalized, of an ignition switch incorporating theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the switch illustrated in FIG. 1.1

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional'view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2,showingthe locking valve solenoid grooved line switch.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the lockingvalve, its solenoid,and adjacent line.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view, partially sectionalized, of amodified form of the switch.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a key grooved for use with theswitch of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a wiring schematic of the fuel line solenoidcircuit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS portions of the fuel valve 5,cylinder 3 is drilled at 14 to receive an additional tumbler l5, and acooperating sleeve tumbler l7, aligned with tumbler 15 is mated in asuitable cavity in sleeve 1 and is biased upwardly by a spring toproject upwardly into cylinder hole 14 to lock the cylinder againstrotation. Insertion of a key having a straight lower edge 13 will forcetumbler 15 downwardly into the sleeve, preventing rotation of thecylinder. Only a key notched as at 21 along its straight edge 13 willmove tumbler 15 to the unlocking position shown in FIG. 1 in whichtumblers 15 and 17 are flush with the opposed cylindrical surfaces ofcylinder 3 and sleeve 1.

In addition to the ignition switch lock we provide a valve 22 controlledby the ignition switch, in full line 23, 23. Valve 22 comprises a body25 formed with a fuel passage 27, to the ends of which the fuel linesections 23 and 23' are connected, and a transverse passage 29, in whichis slidably mounted valve gate 31 for movement from a position (FIG. 4)blocking fuel passage 27 to a retracted position clearing passage 27 aand permitting the passage of fuel therethrough from the fuel tank tothe carburetor. Valve body 25 has an upper part 33, and both body 25 andits upper part 33 are formed with recesses 35 and 37 in their opposedfaces, recess 37 communicating with valve gate passage 29. Valve gate 31is formed with a stem 39 passing through both recesses 35 and 37, and toform a seal to prevent the escape of fuel or fuel vapor from the valve,a flexible diaphragm 41 is sealingly secured at its center to valve stem39 and clamped between the opposed faces of valve body 25 and its upperpart 33 by bolts securing the upper part to the valve body. It will beevident from the foregoing that diaphragm 41 will accommodate necessaryopening and closing translation of valve stem 39, but will prevent thepassage of any fluid or vapors from recess 35 into recess 37 or to theexterior of the valve body.

A vertically acting solenoid 45 is mounted on top of valve body upperpart 33 and is o peratively connected to valve stem 39 to raise thelatter and open the valve when the solenoid is energized.

I The negative terminal of solenoid 45 is connected by supply conductor47 to ignition switch 1, and ground conductor 49 is not connecteddirectly to a grounded part of the automobile but to a normally openswitch incorporated in the ignition switch lock, which includes a recessin the form of a notch 51 in the peripheral surface of lock cylinder 3.In radial alignment with notch 51 when the barrel is in locked of offposition, sleeve 1 is drilled at 53 to receive the end of a tube 55 ofdielectric material, the inner end of which is flush with the innersurface of sleeve 1 and is formed with an annular shoulder 57 to retaina conductive metal ball 59 within tube 55 with a portion of the ballprojecting into the sleeve interior but spaced from the surface ofcylinder 3 within notch 51.

Within tube 55, a metal coil spring 61 is compressed between a pair ofspaced conductive discs 63 and 65, the former disc bearing against ball59 and biasing it outwardly of tube 55 and inwardly of lock sleeve 1,and the latter disc being fixedly held in tube 55 by tube core 67, whichis also of dielectric material such as nylon. Ground conductor 49 fromsolenoid 45 passes through core 67 and is connected to disc 65, andspring 61 and disc 63 form a conductive path therefrom to ball 59.

Only by turning cylinder 3 with a properly notched key, the unnotchedportion of the cylinder periphery will engage ball 59, providing aground return for the solenoid, and thus opening valve 31.

With this arrangement, even if a thief puts a jumper across the ignitionswitch, from the ignition switch supply wire, solenoid 45 will not beenergized to open fuel lock valve 31 because due to the absence ofcontact between ball 59 and lock cylinder 3, the solenoid circuit willnot be grounded.

The circuitry is illustrated schematically in FIG. 7, in which thepositive terminal of battery 71 is connected by supply conductor 73 tothe ignition switch, sleeve 1 and barrel 3 of which are grounded. Supplyconductor 47 connects an ignition switch terminal to coil 75, which isgrounded, and to solenoid 45 which is grounded, as described above,through the ignition switch. Another supply conductor 79 connects theignition switch to starter 81, which has its own ground 83.

A jumper from conductor 73 to wire 47 via the ignition switch negativeterminal would not energize solenoid 45 to open valve 31, because aslong as the switch lock is in the off position, the solenoid ground wire49 will not be grounded.

Even if a thief has a master key, the straight bottom edge of the keywill notrelease tumblers l5, 17 to permit rotation of the lock cylinderand thus energize the circuits controlled by the ignition switch lock.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form of the ignition switch lock andkey in which the additional tumbler 85 is located at the side ratherthan at the bottom of key slot 5 and the corresponding side of the key7' is grooved as at 87 to properly position tumbler 85 to release thecylinder.

The details of the ignition system disclosed herein may be variedsubstantially without departing from the spirit of the invention and theexclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of theclaims is contemplated. We claim:

1. In an automobile electrical system, an ignition switch including alock, a source of electric power, a fuel line valve normally closed, asolenoid operatively connected to said valve to open the same whenenergized, an electrical supply conductor connecting said solenoid tosaid power source, a normally open ground contact on said ignitionswitch lock closable only by moving said ignition switch lock tounlocked position, a conductor connecting said solenoid to said groundcontact and forming the only ground connection of said solenoid, saidignition switch lock including a sleeve and a cylinder rotatabletherein, said normally open contact comprising the peripheral surface ofsaid cylinder, at contact element mounted in said sleeve and resilientlybiased radially inwardly of said sleeve a predetermined distance towardsaid cylinder, said cylinder being formed with a recess in itsperipheral surface in registry with said contact element when thecylinder is in locked position, the surface of said cylinder within saidrecess being spaced from said contact element.

2. in an automobile electrical system according to claim 1, saidnormally open contact including a housing of dielectric material mountedin said sleeve, said contact element cqmprisin a ball in said housing,and spring means within sai housing bearing against the surface of saidball remote from the cylinder, said housing including means retainingsaid ball in spaced relation with the surface of said cylinder withinsaid recess.

3. In an automobile electrical system according to claim 2, said springmeans comprising a metal coil spring compressed in said housing, saidconductor including said coil spring.

1. In an automobile electrical system, an ignition switch including alock, a source of electric power, a fuel line valve normally closed, asolenoid operatively connected to said valve to open the same whenenergized, an electrical supply conductor connecting said solenoid tosaid power source, a normally open ground contact on said ignitionswitch lock closable only by moving said ignition switch lock tounlocked position, a conductor connecting said solenoid to said groundcontact and forming the only ground connection of said solenoid, saidignition switch lock including a sleeve and a cylinder rotatabletherein, said normally open contact comprising the peripheral surface ofsaid cylinder, a contact element mounted in said sleeve and resilientlybiased radially inwardly of said sleeve a predetermined distance towardsaid cylinder, said cylinder being formed with a recess in itsperipheral surface in registry with said contact element when thecylinder is in locked position, the surface of said cylinder within saidrecess being spaced from said contact element.
 1. In an automobileelectrical system, an ignition switch including a lock, a source ofelectric power, a fuel line valve normally closed, a solenoidoperatively connected to said valve to open the same when energized, anelectrical supply conductor connecting said solenoid to said powersource, a normally open ground contact on said ignition switch lockclosable only by moving said ignition switch lock to unlocked position,a conductor connecting said solenoid to said ground contact and formingthe only ground connection of said solenoid, said ignition switch lockincluding a sleeve and a cylinder rotatable therein, said normally opencontact comprising the peripheral surface of said cylinder, a contactelement mounted in said sleeve and resiliently biased radially inwardlyof said sleeve a predetermined distance toward said cylinder, saidcylinder being formed with a recess in its peripheral surface inregistry with said contact element when the cylinder is in lockedposition, the surface of said cylinder within said recess being spacedfrom said contact element.
 2. In an automobile electrical systemaccording to claim 1, said normally open contact including a housing ofdielectric material mounted in said sleeve, said contact elementcomprising a ball in said housing, and spring means within said housingbearing against the surface of said ball remote from the cylinder, saidhousing including means retaining said ball in spaced relation with thesurface of said cylinder within said recess.